Ever wondered if Klingons, the battle hungry “Star Trek” characters that amble about the galaxy looking for a fight have bad table manners?
If you want to know the answer, you might want to visit Balticon, Baltimore?s premier gathering for science fiction fans, fantasy role players and “Star Trek” fans this weekend.
The annual event, held through Monday at the Hunt Valley Marriott, is chock full of guest speakers, masquerade parties and even a special Klingon feast, offering both the curious and the hardened sci-fi fan an opportunity to browse, shop, mingle or party.
Dale Arnold, chairman of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society, the group that sponsors and manages the event, said that this year?s festival is not just for hard-core science fictions fans, but good for the causal admirer of the genre as well.
“For lots of people this is the only fandom event they go to,” Arnold said. “It gives them a chance to catch up with what?s going on.”
Arnold said that beside the popular evening activities, including a masquerade ball that features exotic costumes based on popular science fiction novels and movies, the festival offers good education value for people that want to learn about what?s going on in the world of real science.
“We have over 300 hundred hours of live programming, including working scientists,” Arnold said.
Panels that feature guest speakers are not only popular with attendees, but enjoyed also by the real scientists. “You don?t get much recognition working in a lab,” Arnold said. “Scientists like to appear where they are considered heroes.”
Featured speakers include “Guest of Honor” award-winning author Neil Gaiaman and science fiction artist and illustrator Lisa Snellings-Clarks. Panels, on science-fiction writing as well as “philosophy,” will be accompanied by the music of Lorraine a? Malena, a techno-goth outfit.
For fans that want to dine with the Klingons, Arnold said you don?t have to bring your own batleth, the Klingon weapon of choice.
“It?s just like medieval times,” Arnold said. “People can enjoy their meal while the Klingons re-enact battles,” he said.
If you go
Marriott?s Hunt Valley Inn
245 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley
Cost:
$55 Full weekend
$25 today
$37 Saturday
$32 Sunday
$12 Monday
www.balticon.org
